A Caved Life
by PrinRhi
Summary: Retelling of TheScarletIbis's story of the same name. Merlin has been held captive in the caves his whole life, being used as a weapon against magic by Uther. Will Merlin escape this half life and be able to fulfill his half of Arthur's and his destiny? Rated T for safety
1. The Prophecy

Chapter 1: The Prophecy

King Uther sighed and rubbed his eyes. His head had a slight ache to it that promised a full blown migraine if he didn't find something to calm him soon. Arthur, now three-years-old, had presented a challenge again this evening when the nurse maids had tried to put him down for bed. Arthur had screamed and thrown a fit, demanding a bed time story from his father. The nurse maids had sought Uther in desperation after trying everything they could to coax the little prince to at least attempt sleep. Uther's presence had an immediate calming effect on his son. Despite his demands to see him, his father was an intimidating figure in his eyes. Uther had scolded his son for misbehaving and had ordered him into bed. However, seeing the disappointment in Arthur's eyes he had relented and told Arthur the story of the Pendragon's conquest of the last dragon. Arthur fell asleep before the story ended so Uther gave him a gentle kiss on his head and left. He had a few more things to accomplish before he was free for the evening.

When he was finally finished his impending headache dictated his actions. The library was wondrously empty when Uther arrived. He explored the bookcases at his leisure, searching for a book to help him relax before bed. He was in the back of the library, a place not often visited as evidence by the amount of dust that covered the furniture and books. Uther was looking for a particular story and had yet to find it. The back shelves were his final hope. Thinking he saw the book on the top shelf Uther stretched up to grab it. He lost his footing and crashed into the wall. His grunt of pain almost prevented him from hearing the slight click but he felt the small portion of wall that depressed under his weight. There was a loose panel in the wall next to him. After standing and clearing himself of any injury Uther approached the panel and pulled it from it's place in the wall.

Behind the panel was a book. Cobwebs and dust covered it from years of disuse but it was otherwise unassuming. A simple brown, leather bound book. But no one would hide something unless it was something worth hiding. Uther grabbed the book, dusting it of with his hand and breath. His eyes narrowed as he saw the symbol inscribed on the cover. It was a symbol used by the Druids, a symbol of the old religion. A symbol of magic. Uther opened the book, wanting to know what form of evil magic was written in it's pages. So it came as a surprise when his eyes alighted on a blank page. Uther frowned and flipped through the book, but there was no writing to be found on any part of the book. Uther didn't understand it but decided it was safer to destroy it then understand it.

Uther walked over to the fireplace and was about to toss the book in when something caught his eye. Where there had previously been a blank page, writing was beginning to appear. Uther sat down heavily in a chair near the fireplace and watched as the writing formed. Uther kept reading long after the writing had completely formed. He finally concluded that he had found a prophecy. It spoke of a man they referred to as 'The Once and Future King' who would unite the land of Albion. But he would not be alone in this endeavor. A great sorcerer, Emrys, would help him. Uther slammed the book shut, and rose to his feet. He saw Emrys as an evil being who would control this 'Once and Future King' and force him to allow magic to reign free.

" No great sorcerer will harm any future kings while I still have breath within me. " he seethed, thinking of the sleeping Arthur in his bed.

Uther summoned the guards and gave them his orders, " You will be searching for a sorcerer named Emrys. Find him, capture him, and bring him back for execution. "

" If he should resist, milord? " the head of the guard queried.

Uther fixed him with a level glare that had the knight backing up a pace sub consciously, " If he should resist, kill him. "


	2. Closing In

Chapter 2: Closing In

At dawn the knights of Camelot set out on their quest to find Emrys. Not since the Great Purge had such a single minded undertaking occurred. Citizens of Camelot were careful to bring leads or information regarding the sorcerer Emrys to the knights only if they were absolutely certain of its factuality. Liars and pranksters were quickly shown to the amenities of Camelot's dungeons and stocks. Not only was the populace afraid of being punished but truly no one seemed to know anything about Emrys. So Uther sent his knights to the outskirts of Camelot to search for the people who could provide him with answers. The Druids.

The knights found and raided a Druid camp but were only able to capture one person. The Great Purge had branded survival skills into the peace loving peoples' psyches that wouldn't soon be forgotten, and the knights had only gotten lucky with their capture. The older Druid man that was taken prisoner was sent to Camelot's dungeons and by orders of King Uther put in the custody of Camelot's finest inquisitors. It took two days of torture before he finally broke down and revealed what he knew about regarding Emrys's location, but even then he still showed one last act of defiance.

"Cenred. " was the only word he uttered before sinking into eternal oblivion and peace.

Although angry that the old mage had defied him even when seemingly broken, King Uther realized he had finally gained the clue he had so desperately searched for. Emrys would soon be in his grasp!

* * *

It took another month of covert searching in the neighboring kingdom under King Cenred, their only real clue, before the knights of Camelot finally closed in on their prey. Since Uther did not want to alert Emrys, nor King Cenred, to his presence the knights had to move slowly. They very delicately sent out feelers to find out who among the kingdom's citizens could provide the accurate information they were looking for without bringing about unwanted attention.

In the town of Brunvale two of Uther's knights, Sir Gorlois and Sir Dustin, were directed to the local pub. Since it was during daylight hours the bar was mostly empty but for a few world weary regulars. At a corner table sat an old, grizzled man who looked surprisingly alert despite the mostly empty mug of alcohol in his hand.

Dustin exchanged a look with Gorlois who nodded and the two knights made their way over to the man. As they sat down a bar maid, whose ample form was barely contained by her corset, started to make her way over but Gorlois waved her off before she could even call a greeting. As she turned away, muttering her displeasure, the old man finally looked up at his table companions.

"Men who don't come to the pub to drink are usually seeking information instead, " he said in a growling voice, eyeing the two men critically.

A wry smile crossed Dustin's face, " You are very correct, elder. My companion and I were referred to you by some locals here. They say you can help us find someone. "

The man snorted a humorless laugh, " Has my reputation fallen so far that the local gossips think I consort with criminals now? "

Gorlois spoke up then, " What makes you think we're searching for a criminal? " a curious look on his face.

The man gave the two knights a long suffering glare, " I'm old not blind. No farmer walks with the bearing you two do. Nor do strangers make such a commotion with their very presence yet do everything they can to appear inconspicuous. I'd say you were soldiers and probably not from round these parts. "

The two knights both wore expressions of shock, causing the man to boom out a laugh that caused a few people to grumble their annoyance, which the man completely ignored.

He toasted the two men, " Fear not lads, I was a professional sticker in my youth so I can pick out those who swing a weapon for a living. "

He downed the last of his drink, smacking his lips in appreciation, then returned his attention to the knights, " All right, Knights of Nowhere, I'm willing to part with my knowledge if you're willing to part with your coin. " his voice was pitched low so no one could eavesdrop on their conversation.

Dustin nodded and reached into a cloth bag that jangled as he moved it. He produced two coins and slid them across the table. The man eyed the two coins with weary surprise, " Must be something important indeed. " he muttered.

Gorlois leaned forward and said, " We hear tell that you encountered something… strange in a nearby village the other day. "

The man's expression became serious and hard but he nodded, " Aye, that I did. I sometimes deliver goods for a bit of coin to nearby settlements from time to time. My last job took me to Ealdor, a little village North of hear. As I walked by one of the homes I heard a shout coming from a window. I turned to look and through the crack in the curtain I saw something unnatural. Something magical. " his last words were spoken in a whisper.

" What did you see, elder? " Dustin prompted.

" It was a wee babe, floating in the air! "

Dustin leaned back in his chair, looking skeptical, " You saw a child doing magic? "

The man glared, " If I say I did, I did! I may partake a bit too much now and then but I've never lied a day in my life, young man! "

The man's loud voice was starting to get the attention of the other patrons so Gorlois touched his companion's arm and they both stood. " Thank you for the information. We'll leave you to your drink now. "

The two knights exited the pub, the old man glaring a hole in their backs the entire time until the bar maiden brought him another mug. Once they were outside and alone Dustin turned to Gorlois. " Another waste of time and money, let us leave Brunvale and see if we can't make it back to Crennel before nightfall. " he said, referring to a town not too far away, " At least they have a decent inn their. "

Gorlois shook his head, " No, it was not a waste. I saw the truth in that man's eyes. I believe he may be referring to the sorcerer we seek. "

Dustin snorted in derision, " The great Emrys our king so fears is a child? Come now, Grlois, be serious. "

But Dustin saw his friend was serious so he sighed in resignation, " Fine, let us go to this Ealdor and find the big bad baby that is the doom of us all. "

Gorlois shook his head but made no reply. The two men collected their mounts and headed North to the small village of Ealdor. As they exited the town Gorlois said, " If I'm wrong, I promise to buy you a few rounds at the next pub. "

Dustin laughed and said, " Now you're talking! "

* * *

Author's Note

I'm sooo sorry this took so long. But you guys, my dear, wonderful readers, are so beyond awesome. You were following and favoriting this story after only one chapter! Virtual hugs for readernurse, PaRaM0rE-0394, and TheScarletIbis for reviewing; AmandaFray, Blue Element, EnsignChocolateSauce, i am the catalyst, KarmaPotter18, Magic Cabbage, PaRaM0rE-0394, poplip, readernurse, RememberTheMuse, sarajm, TeganL74, ' , TheScarletIbis, and tieleyes for following; And j3swimmer and Stellato for favoriting!

\(^_^)/

The reason it took so long was that I had a bit of a plot crisis. TheScarletIbis conceived a wonderful plot and I don't want to copy her. I just want to take her foundations and build a story from there. personally I feel that if I copied it word for word it would be a form of plagiarism, even if the author did give me permission to continue the story. Thankfully my Mom, whom I just converted into a Merlin fan, helped me talk through the story and help me see where I want to take the plot.

I'm also kind of a procrastinator so, yeah, not a good thing when people expect you to update in their lifetimes. To kind of make up for it I decided to jump on the ficlets bandwagon and so in between updates for this story, and my other story for Ranger's Apprentice, I will be posting quick little stories from the Merlin universe. It will be mostly humorous ficlets since this story is kind of dark, no pun intended, and I'm actually a very funny person. At least I think so, guess we'll see soon enough.

You don't have to review, but I think everyone gets a big smile on their faces when their story is reviewed, I know I do. Even if all you have to say are critiques or constructive criticisms I'll at least keep smiling until I open the notification email. :) Hope everyone had a great summer and those that are going back to school, hope you all have a good year!

Love,

PrinRhi

P.S.- For those who might be wondering Sir Gorlois is not a character from my own imagination but is Morgana's father. Yeah I gave him a cameo appearance since he is only named and talked about in the first couple of seasons and never seen. Maybe I'll put him in a ficlet. :)

P.P.S- I'm going to shamelessly plug the stories of a friend of mine on here, readernurse. She has two Merlin stories and they're both very good so check them out when you can. :)


	3. Sworn Vows

I know, I know this took way too long! Too make up for it, at least partially, this chapter is longer then the others and I decided that I'm going to get this story done by the end of the year because I already have an idea to make this into a trilogy. I'm also going to focus solely on this story alone and am putting my other stories on temporary hiatus. If you read my other stories, well actually story the other is only Merlin ficlets, then I'm sorry about this but as you can tell I really need to focus on one thing at a time. Hope everyone had a great Halloween, if they celebrate it, and if any of my readers live on the East coast of the U.S. I hope Hurricane Sandy hasn't effected you too badly, or at all. These first three chapters are still covering content from the original story's first chapter so this should be a fairly long fic. No specifics yet of exactly how long it will be but expect a lot more chapters to come.

Okay, I'm done rambling, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Three: Sworn Vows

Hunith and Merlin sat at the small wooden table in their home. Merlin sat perched in his high chair whilst Hunith sat facing him in her chair, feeding him his breakfast, which was basically flavored mush. Thankfully though Merlin, and his developing taste buds, loved it. Hunith smiled warmly at her son once he had eaten the last spoonful and gently kissed the top of his head, smoothing back his short crop of black hair as she did. Her heart burst with love for her son but there lay a well of fear for him as well beneath it. It was normal motherly worry for her child but Hunith's fear was expounded by one simple fact.

Her son had magic.

She remembered all too clearly the day Merlin had first shown his abilities. He had been crying and fussing for a long time and Hunith had exhausted all reasons for her infant's discomfort and was at her wits end. Suddenly, while gently rocking Merlin in hopes that that would calm him, something soft collided with the back of Hunith's head. This phenomena coincided with the startling change of her baby's eye color from the normal light blue hue to a glowing gold color. Hunith had been frozen to the spot, her eyes flicking from Merlin's eyes to the small teddy bear that now lay almost innocently at her feet. Everyone knew magic existed and even though Hunith herself had never seen it before what her child had just done was obviously sorcery. Tears sprung in Merlin's eyes even as she returned the innocent smile on her infant's face. He was only six month's old and already there were people in this world who would kill him simply for living.

Numbly Hunith had picked up the toy and placed it in Merlin's tiny, grasping arms which instantly calmed him down. Hunith had then crossed to the rocking chair and rocked her now exhausted son to sleep while she cried silently. Once she was all cried out she had silently vowed that she would do anything, make every sacrifice, to ensure her son's safety. She hadn't known then how soon that promise would be put to the test.

That incident had been seven months ago and there had only been one other show of power from Merlin since then. A week ago, while Hunith had briefly left the house to get water, an impatient Merlin managed to extricate himself from his high chair in an attempt to get to his lunch which had been tantalizing out of his reach on the table. Hunith had returned just in time to see Merlin fall from the chair and had cried out in fear even as she ran to catch him. She would have been too late if not for at the last moment when her son's eyes had once again flashed gold and instead of falling Merlin had begun floating. As he spotted his Mom standing a few feet in front of him, arms outstretched towards him Merlin reached for her in turn and began laughing. Hunith quickly gathered him in her arms and despite her earlier fear, or perhaps because of it, she had begun laughing as well. It was only after she had tucked Merlin into his crib that she realized that one of the curtains on her windows had been partially open. However, since no one had burst into her home screeching of sorcery she had assumed no one had seen her child's latest display of his talents.

Which was why when someone knocked on her door with a heavy, impatient fist she hadn't been overly alarmed.

* * *

Sir Dustin and Sir Gorlois had reached Ealdor swiftly and had wasted no time in locating any babies recently born in the village. Sir Dustin had cozied up to a young, blushing maiden who was helping her parents run their shop and had discovered that there were three babies in the village, the oldest being a boy barely a year old. When he had pressed for more information the girl had questioned the knight's intentions asking such odd questions. After providing the young woman with a tale about looking for a village to settle down in that would be a good place to find a bride and start a family in she had only been too eager to answer any question the handsome man asked of her. Not wanting to disrupt the lives of three families Dustin had asked what each family was like, because he wouldn't want to live in a village with difficult neighbors of course. The girl described the first two families as being almost boringly normal. However, when she started to describe the third family she became hesitant. A light touch on her hand by Dustin had given her the incentive she needed to spill the gossip about Hunith and her son.

" She told everyone that her husband had died in some battle but whenever anyone tries to get more details about it she always gives some vague answer and changes the subject. She's very private, never invites anyone to her house, doesn't really talk about herself or her past if she can help it. "

"Surely a lot of people are like that, especially after moving to a new place and losing someone so close to them. " Dustin replied.

" Sure, but what's really weird is how she treats her son. "

" What do you mean? "

"Oh, Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying she mistreats him. But then, no one in this village has really seen all that much of him, so I can't really say that for a certainty. I don't really like talking ill about my neighbors, " the gleam in the girl's eye said differently, " but what's such a big secret about her son that she can't even bring him outside, I wonder? :

Something cold had settled in Dustin's heart when he heard that. It seems that the old man's ramblings had some merit to them after all. If that were the case then the two knights' job had become a grim one indeed, even if it did mean finally locating and capturing the sorcerer known as Emrys.

After telling Sir Gorlois of what he had learned both men had asked another villager where Hunith's house was and had made their way to it. Neither man spoke of the implications of what they had discovered. Neither questioned the importance and necessity of capturing Emrys, thus preventing him from being the threat their king perceived him to be. But it was hard to reconcile that with the fact that they were most likely about to play a part in the eventual execution of a small child. Sir Dustin looked over at Sir Gorlois as the marched closer to Hunith's residence. Being older than Dustin, Gorlois had become something of an older brother, as well as a friend, and the younger knight respected what Gorlois had to say and whatever advice he could give. Right now, Dustin desperately needed to know what Gorlois thought about the situation they were in. Even if it was a weakness on his part, Dustin needed someone to say that if it were to come to an execution that the two knights were doing the right thing.

Gorlois saw Dustin study him out of the corner of his eye but he was too deep in his own thoughts to answer the unspoken question he saw in the other's eyes. Ever since he had learned of the possibility that Emrys was only a child he had asked himself over and over again if he could truly send a young boy to his death. He had pushed the question aside, wanting to ignore it for a s long as he could but now that Dustin and he were facing the worst case scenario he was forced to examine it closely. His mind had turned to his home in Camelot where his wife and two-year-old daughter, Morgana, waited for his return. If it came to be that Morgana had magic would he choose loyalty to his daughter and become a traitor to Camelot or would he stand by his king and the laws he had sworn to uphold and watch part of his heart burn alongside his child as he threw her to Uther's justice?

_No, _he mentally chastised himself, _I cannot answer that question because I have not faced it, and never will since Morgana has no magic in her. What I must truly ask myself is can I let Emrys live, knowing one day he will most likely become a danger to Camelot, and thus my daughter?_

The answer was no, he couldn't do that and his conscience eased a bit. But only a small amount. There would be fallout from any decision Sir Dustin and himself made but doing his duty felt like the right choice. Sir Gorlois silently prayed he was right.

" We have a duty to do. " Gorlois said, " We will uphold it as we have every other command given to us. "

Sir Dustin nodded and the two men suddenly found themselves in front of Hunith's door. With only one last moment of hesitation Dustin raised his fist and beat it against the door. Inside Hunith frowned in confusion as to who would be knocking at her door and quickly crossed the room to it, wondering if something had happened in the village. As she opened the door her whole body tensed with weariness as she realized she did not recognize the two men at her door. She only opened it far enough so she could speak to them but still be able to quickly close it and bar it if she needed to.

Before Hunith could greet them Sir Dustin cut her off.

"What is your name? "

His voice was harsh and commanding and Hunith found herself answering immediately, "Hunith. " with a twinge of fear in her voice.

" You have a small child." Dustin said in a resigned voice, more statement then question.

Hunith nodded, then continued wearily, " I do. " The thought of slamming the door in their faces was looking better and better and these two men had only been here a few moments, " What do you want? " her tone was sharp with fear.

Gorlois took over, " We are knights from Camelot, sent here on orders from King Uther Pendragon. We have reason to believe that you are harboring a sorcerer in your house. "

The blunt statement caught Hunith off guard as Gorlois had been hoping it would. He watched as her eyes widened in shock and fear while fighting down the uneasiness those reactions produced within him. Gorlois turned to Dustin and gave him a single nod which the other knight returned. Dustin braced his hand against the wooden door and pushed it inward even as Hunith desperately tried to close it. She was no match against a fully trained knight and soon both men were inside.

After losing the battle with the door Hunith rushed in front of the two knights, deliberately placing herself between them and Merlin, " You have no right to barge in here! Uther holds no power in this kingdom. " she spat out Uther's name like the venom it was.

Gorlois didn't blame Hunith for her anger but he could only let her vent. He turned to where Dustin was standing behind him and exchanged another silent look with the younger man, who grudgingly acknowledged the silent command before carrying it out. Dustin stepped forward and grabbed Hunith by the upper arm and pulled her to him so that he could grasp her other arm and prevent her from interfering. He managed to initially capture her arm because she was focused on blocking Gorlois from getting closer to her son, who was now starting to fuss and cry as he sensed the tension in the room. This only caused Hunith to fight all the harder as Dustin tried to grab hold of her other arm.

" You have no power here! : Hunith shrieked as she tried to wrench free of the knight's grasp while avoiding being complete ensnared, " Leave us be! Someone help us! "

" Silence-Hey! " Dustin cried out as Hunith's free hand connected with his nose. Having enough of the flailing woman Dustin twisted Hunith's arm behind her until she cried out in pain.

That was the trigger Merlin's magic needed. Gorlois was standing before the small child in his high chair, studying him as if he waited long enough the boy would do something to either prove or disprove his innocence. Because of this he was able to see Merlin's eyes flash gold as he shrieked in reaction to hearing his mother in distress. Gorlois stumbled back a moment later as Hunith's abandoned bowl of porridge collided with the side of his head. Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at the small boy and the now dripping knight.

" No. " Hunith moaned quietly, breaking the silence as tears slipped down her face.

Gorlois brushed the empty bowl off his shoulder and it clattered loudly on the floor. He moved to the kitchen area and grabbed a towel and an empty basket. He quickly got the majority of the mushy breakfast off his clothes and hair then moved back to Merlin. Hunith cries grew louder as she tried desperately to convince the men to leave her and her son alone. Gorlois ignored her and picked up the screaming and squirming Merlin and gently placed him in the basket. He then turned to Dustin who was staring at the older man with a look of mingled shock and grief.

" Bind her, quickly. " Gorlois told him gruffly, " We have a long ride ahead of us and we leave now. "

* * *

**TheScarletIbis: **I'm so glad you're liking the story. It was originally yours to begin with so I want to make sure you don't regret handing it over :)

**Magic Cabbage: **I'm sooo glad you're liking this story and I hope this chapter continues to make you happy! ^_^ And yes, cute and small though Merlin is right now, defenseless he is not. As to whether or not the execute baby Merlin, well I suppose you'll just have to keep reading... ;)

**fairy goatmother: **Thank you my fairy goatmother, I hope this has continued to pique your interest :)

**BabyGlover: **Will do!

**amuto1: **Don't worry I won't, promise!

**HonourProject: **Great ideas! I don't want to give too much away but Balinor and Hunith will both feature in this story, but Hunith more than Balinor for now.


	4. The Beginning of the End

What's this?! A new chapter already?! It must be a Thanksgiving miracle! :) I did say I was going to get this done by the end of the year, which may or may not happen. I really need to think my promises through, sorry. But this story will be done fairly soon if not by the end of the year. I'm hoping you will all hang with me to the end and I'll do my best to deliver a great story!

This chapter is a bit shorter then the last one and we're still in angst ville and will be for at least another chapter . I know I'm being so mean to Hunith and Merlin right now but after this bit I'm going to make things a bit more light hearted. This is still an h/c fic of course but I'm more of a laughter and smiles person then a doom and gloom one so I will always balance my stories between the light and the dark. Although this chapter title is pretty dark now that I see it but ti was surprisingly hard for me to name this chapter.

In case I don't post before then to all my U.S. readers I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Okay on to the story!

(after the story I'll respond to reviews, which makes me so selfishly happy to read)

* * *

Chapter 4: The Beginning of the End

Dustin and Gorlois moved quickly through the town of Ealdor, wanting to leave the village and get to Camelot as soon as possible. The sooner they could wash themselves of this distasteful business the better. Sir Dustin half led, half dragged a sobbing Hunith to the stable near the inn where the knights' horses were, while Sir Gorlois held the basket containing Merlin. Despite the present circumstances his fatherly instincts were kicking in and he held the basket as carefully as he would if Morgana lay within. No matter what Gorlois was or did he was not needlessly cruel.

As they made their way to the livery the group was watched by the silent villagers. Having heard the shouts and cries coming from within Hunith's house they had come out of their homes and businesses to see what was happening and now openly stared at the procession. Most of them had looks of concern and shock on their faces, although inside they were dying to know what was happening. Others omitted the veil of sympathy and concern entirely and whispered amongst themselves as they speculated as to what they were witnessing. Ealdor was not a particularly exciting town so when drama did occur it was enough to draw the attentions of the entire populace.

Edwin, one of the village elders, moved from where he had been openly staring at the dramatic display unfolding in his beloved home and moved in front of Gorlois. Under normal circumstances such an occurrence would have been a humorous one; a short, pudgy, middle-aged man with graying hair trying to appear intimidating to a much taller, much more muscular man who was a couple decades his junior. However, most onlookers had looks of outright fear on their faces.

Gorlois, ever the chivalrous knight, said calmly, but with an underlying edge " This is none of your concern, sir, move out of my way now, please. "

Edwin was about to do just that but then he heard another shuddering sob escaped from Hunith, timed with a distressed mew from Merlin emanating from where he lay in the basket. His wife had always said that he had a weakness for helping the helpless. Even when helping them might jeopardize his own person.

Edwin cleared his throat, a bit too loudly, then replied, " As citizens of my village it is most certainly my concern what happens to young Hunith and her son. You're obviously causing them both undue distress and I demand to know what your intentions are. "

Gorlois paused for a moment then moved until he was standing close enough to Edwin that the other man was forced to look up into the taller man's eyes. Edwin paled and mentally calculated his chances if he made a run for it now.

" My authority as a knight of Camelot supersedes any that you hold as a citizen of Ealdor, even a well respected one, " he added quickly, seeing that despite his discomfort Edwin was going to challenge his previous statement, " so I owe you no explanation nor must I submit to your demands. Again, I ask you to move out of our way. "

When Edwin's anger faded he realized, with even paler features, exactly what Gorlois had said, " A knight of C-Camelot? " he asked in a small voice.

Twin nods came from both Gorlois and Dustin and Edwin took a step back, " B-but what would King Uther want in Cenred's kingdom? We've had no word from our king about any manhunts or…" Edwin trailed off as the implications of what he said came to light.

Gorlois, becoming very uncomfortable with where this conversation was leading pushed Edwin roughly out of his way with his free hand and the threesome, plus Merlin continued the last bit of distance to the stables. Edwin would have fallen to the ground if he hadn't crashed into some fencing instead, which allowed him to regain his balance.

Once his equilibrium was restored he called to the retreating figures, " You are here illegally knights of Camelot! I will be reporting you to the king forthwith! "

His breath caught in his throat as Gorlois turned and, with a frustrated and angry glare said, " You do that. By the time you find someone willing to travel to the capital we'll be long gone with no evidence of our passing but an empty house and the word of a king that none of his knights had crossed the border in years. How kindly will Cenred look upon troublesome villagers who merely wasted his time, hmm? "

Gorlois was gambling, hoping that Edwin and the other citizens of Ealdor would think it truly would be futile to pursue this matter any further. If he didn't Cenred and his own knights would be able to investigate and find that many strangers had passed through his kingdom, asking a lot of odd and probing questions as they went. Gorlois let out a breath when he saw the look of defeat on Edwin's face but then grimaced when he heard Hunith's anguished cry. She had turned to view what had seemed like her last hope and now she truly understood that her son's fate was sealed.

Dustin paid a confused and concerned stableman then gathered their horses. He quickly saddled each and led them out of the building. Hunith had turned into herself in an act of protection against the overwhelming grief and sadness she felt. Both knights guided her and with automatic movements she was soon seated on Sir Dustin's cream colored mare. Sir Gorlois gently handed Merlin to Dustin so he could mount his dark brown gelding then relieved the man of the basket and settled it before him on his saddle. With Dustin's help the two men, using rope, tied the basket so Gorlois wouldn't have to hold the basket constantly when the two knights went at a fast pace. With that done Dustin finally mounted his horse, sitting himself behind Hunith. As the two horses were turned towards Camelot Hunith broke out of her stupor long enough to give Ealdor, and her former neighbors, one last look.

Her heart hoped that there might be a sliver of chance that Merlin and she could return and begin the life she had dreamed for them here. But her head knew better and so she turned away from her briefly bright past and towards her uncertain future.

* * *

The closer the group got to Camelot the more relaxed the two knights became and the more anxious Hunith, and by picking up her mood, Merlin, became. The fact that she did not know for certain what lay in store for them when they reached Camelot was slowly making Hunith crumble. Having never personally seen a public execution of a sorcerer Hunith could only guess what fate awaited her son, no matter how hard she tried to steer her thoughts from such dark wanderings. Oh, she had heard many stories about what had transpired during the Great Purge and the inevitable conclusions for all the sorcerers Uther had captured over the years. But they had always been just that, stories. Nothing she thought she'd have to apply to real life.

Not for the first time Hunith found herself mentally cursing the man who was Merlin's father. His name was Balinor, one of the few personal things she had learned from him. She had met him when he moved to her hometown, Dristaine. It had been love at first sight for her, and possibly for Balinor though she never asked. She had looked into his eyes and instantly gave her heart to him, just like she would with Merlin. Balinor had been a private person but he had immediately sought out Hunith and her company. They had spent nearly all their time together, lovers in every way, although it was clear that he was hiding something about his past. Then one day she had stopped by his house and found a note waiting for her. Balinor had written that it was no longer safe for her or the town if he remained. Hunith had been heart broken. Not only was the love of her life gone, without even a proper explanation or goodbye, but she had just learned that she was pregnant.

He had said he left for her own good. Hunith would have scoffed at that now, as she had in the past, but she was too afraid to do much of anything else other than worry. After telling her family about her pregnancy and refusing to reveal who the father was she had been disowned by them. Ealdor had been the answer and would have been perfect if not for the fact that Merlin had magic and she had failed to protect him. Obviously that had been the reason why Balinor had been so secretive and eventually fled. As much as Hunith blamed herself for what was happening she blamed Balinor too. Hunith would never know if his staying would have changed anything but it felt good to channel her emotions at someone.

So lost in her tumultuous thoughts that she was startled when the horses' hooves changed from the soft clumping on forest floor to the ringing clang on cobbled streets. Hunith's head shot up and her fear came back in full force. Sensing that the end of their journey was near the horses picked up the pace so that they moved towards the castle at a swift pace. The inhabitants of Camelot's lower town stared openly at the knights' and their captives. A buzz of nervous energy was beginning to take hold as everyone seemed to sense the importance of what they were seeing. Sir Gorlois and Sir Dustin arrived in the courtyard and were greeted by a servant.

" Tell King Uther that the object of his long searching has been located, " Gorlois told him, " The sorcerer Emrys had finally been captured. "

* * *

I forgot to do this last chapter but a big thank you and virtual cookie to everyone who favorited and followed my story. ^_^

**lilo202: **Your review made me laugh, is that wrong, lol! But I promise I will not abandon this story, if only for the fact alone that I hate ants :)

**IndiaMoore: **Poor Hunith indeed! I'm going to try to make things a little bit better for her in later chapters but for now I am cruel

**Magic Cabbage: **Did you do the cabbage patch when you danced? Hehe sorry, couldn't resist. Thank you, I hope this chapter is too and yes if nayone needs a hug right now it's those two.

**SoulMore: **AWESOME! ;)


	5. The Final Verdict

**A.N.:** Well I guess my promise to finish this story before the end of the year was about as believable as the world ending in December. :) I am sorry this took so long to be updated, again. I wish I had a good excuse as to why I suck at updating but I don't and you probably don't want to hear it anyways. I did make a resolution to be more disciplined when it comes to my fan fiction and so far I'm sticking to it. :)

Anyways I hope all of you, my sweet, beautiful, awesome readers, had a great holiday season! ^_^

And as to when I'll update next, well I don't know when that will be, especially since I'm going to be starting college this semester, finally. Just know it will come and I will never abandon this story. So if you can deal with my sporadic updating schedule you will get a finished product.

In the meantime I have a great fic recommend for you all. It's Merlin and Arthur centric with lots of angst and minor Merlin whump so far and best of all*drum roll* the author has a regular update schedule! It's called **Of Twisted Morals and Human Weaponry** and it's written by** BeyondTheStorm**. Seriously guys check this out it's awesome. Okay onto the story!

* * *

Gaius was in the middle of reading his new medical book when a rushed knock sounded at his door, " Come in. " he said, eyebrow quirked in question.

He had already made his deliveries for the morning and if there was an emergency that needed his attention surely they wouldn't bother with knocking. Gaius stood when a nervous looking servant came in.

" King Uther requests your presence in the throne room. "

Gaius nodded and turned his back saying, " Very well, let his majesty know that I will be changing first before I arrive. "

" Um, actually, " Gaius turned and if the servant was upset before he looked near a nervous breakdown now, " his majesty wants you there immediately. "

Gaius turned back and walked towards the harried looking servant, " What is so important that I can't even be allowed time to properly dress for court? " he asked, his brows coming down as he frowned.

The servant looked around behind him to make sure they were alone then leaned in closer to Gaius, motioning the older man to do the same, before whispering, " I heard that Sirs Gorlois and Dustin arrived back this morning bearing a prisoner and some mysterious package. A friend of mine in the kitchens was told by her sister's husband, who works in the stables, that they claimed to have captured Emrys. "

The servant's previous fear was forgotten in his excitement over this new juicy piece of gossip but he was disappointed to see that his news wasn't greeted with the same level of enthusiasm. Gaius's face was carefully schooled into a mask of bored indifference, but inside his heart was racing.

When the king had told Gaius what the prophecy had said the old physician had felt a spark of hope reignite in his heart that had been dormant ever since the purge began. After seeing so many friends and fellow sorcerers be put to horrible deaths and being forced to give up who he was lest the same thing happen to him, Gaius had stopped believing in a just world where people with magical abilities could live peaceful existences. Thus the prophecy of the Once and Future King and the sorcerer Emrys had come as both a blessing and a curse. Even as a light was lit in the previously dark future Uther sought to extinguish it.

There had been false alarms in the past, pushing Uther one step closer to giving up. Gaius had expected that he would be able to finally break through King Uther's hard shell built from hatred and ignorance, and convince him to it was a useless endeavor. Surely a sorcerer as great as Emrys would not be caught so easily? But apparently Gaius had thought wrong.

Gaius mentally shook himself as he felt despair once more try to stake a claim in his heart. He needed to see for himself who the knights had brought in. The physician brushed past the servant, who frowned at his retreating form, put off by the older man's lack of interest and rudeness. However, Gaius was beyond worrying about such things as manners at the moment. As he got closer to his destination a sense of dread was filling him, a forbearance of what awaited him in the throne room.

* * *

King Uther sat upon his throne, his face speaking volumes of his disbelief and anger. Sir Gorlois, one of his most trusted knights, and Sir Dustin. also highly respected in Camelot, had just recounted their tale of their journey in Cenred's kingdom and claimed that a _baby _was the infamous Emrys, and _not_ the young woman they also had with them as Uther originally thought. Taking into consideration what he knew of these two men Uther was having a difficult time processing what they were trying to tell him. They weren't known as being jesters among the other knights so Uther ruled out this being a joke of some sort. Furthermore he believed both men to be honorable enough to not consider lying to their liege and fabricating this story just to end the hunt and get the recognition of capturing Emrys.

_Perhaps they have injured their heads and are confused, _Uther thought to himself, truly searching for any explanation that would not force him to discipline two of his most trusted knights, _or maybe Emrys placed a spell on them making them think they have captured _him _and not some squalling infant. _

Uther rubbed at his temples, where another headache was forming, Whatever the situation he was glad Gaius was on his way. He would be able to make some sense of all this madness. As if summoned by the king's thoughts alone Gaius strode through the main doors of the throne room. The physician tried to keep his face calm and neutral but his eyes would easily give away how ill at ease he felt, so he was careful to keep them averted. Once Gaius was on level with the knights and their captives he bowed to his king.

" You have summoned me, sire? " he asked, still avoiding having to look at the group standing next to him.

" Gaius, Sirs Dustin and Gorlois have just returned from their travels into Cenred's Kingdom and while their news should make me satisfied I find that it troubles me further. " Uther glared over at the group to emphasize his displeasure.

Dustin and Gorlois were staring straight ahead, bodies stiff at attention and probably other emotions, as they were avoided looking directly at their king. Dustin was silently cursing Druids everywhere for making him look like a fool in front of his king while Gorlois was trying to think of ways that would prove Emrys' identity to Uther beyond a shadow of a doubt. Uther's gaze focused briefly on the infant accused of being the sorcerer, who was now sleeping comfortably in the crook of Gorlois' arm, having succumbed to exhaustion near the end of their ride from Ealdor. However, the woman they had also brought with them, Uther failed to recall her name but knew her to be the boy's mother, was looking at Gaius with an odd expression on her face. Before he could really study the young woman further Gaius spoke.

" What troubles you sire? " Gaius asked, already knowing the answer but playing his part anyway.

Uther sighed, " They claimed to have captured the sorcerer, Emrys, yet they present me with a baby, " Uther gestured with his hand to where Merlin lay, " I'm wondering if it might be possible they were cursed by Emrys or perhaps they were injured in some way that now has them confused. " The way Uther said that last sentence it was clear to the two knights that they better hope that was the case.

Gaius had anticipated many things coming into this situation, but hearing a baby accused of sorcery was not one of them. He finally turned to look at the people standing next to him and locked gazes with his sister, Hunith. Thankfully Uther and the knights thought he was looking at the baby and accounted his look of shock to that. That was probably the only thing Gaius was thankful for at the moment as his mind swirled with emotions. Oddly the one thought that stood out clearly amongst the others was that he hadn't known Hunith was pregnant. Then again, he hadn't been in contact with his sister for a long time, and had broken ties with his family longer still, so that was hardly surprising.

Gaius forcibly moved his stare from Hunith's, lest he give something away and make the situation even worse, and looked at the baby nestled in Gorlois' arm. His nephew. His nephew accused of sorcery. Not just sorcery but of being probably one of the greatest sorcerer's of all time.

" Well, Gaius? " Uther prompted, pulling the physician from his troubled thoughts.

Gaius mentally shifted into work mode and examined Dustin and Gorlois closely, asking them a number of questions and to perform simple tasks that would give Gaius a basic reading of their current mental capacities. Gaius once more avoided looking at his sister and nephew and taking the lead from him Hunith also turned her gaze to other things.

Gaius turned back to Uther and shook his head, " I see no signs of any head injuries or diminished capacity to their mental faculties, sire. Also, they report none of the basic signs of a curse; black outs, confusion, headaches. "

Uther's frown deepened, " Are you trying to tell me that I should believe this farce? "

Before Gaius could respond, Gorlois spoke up, " Please, my lord, we were just as shocked as you when we were sent to investigate this claim. However, this child has performed magic; both Sir Dustin and myself witnessed it firsthand. I am no expert on sorcery but surely it is unheard of for people to be born with magic. Not only that, but even in it's untrained state, the infant seems to be able to control it to some degree. "

Interest temporarily replaced Uther's ire as he turned his focus back to Gorlois, " Really? What magic was performed exactly? "

Dustin picked up the conversation thread next, " Your majesty, I was attempting to restrain the young woman, Hunith, while Gorlois inspected the infant. In her struggles I had to get a little forceful with her and pulled her arm up behind her back causing her to cry out in pain. A bowl resting on a table was thrown at Sir Gorlois immediately following that. "

" How do you know this was not the mother's doing? " Uther queried.

Gorlois hesitated for only a moment before saying, " I saw the child's eyes flash gold when it happened. "

Gaius's eyes briefly closed when he heard the knight's words, for they, above all others, sealed the child's fate. When he finally opened his eyes the look on his king's face spoke clearly the fears in Gaius's heart.

" You are an honorable man, Gorlois, " King Uther began, " so I believe your story to be the truth, no matter how far fetched it may originally seem. I am not yet completely convinced he is truly Emrys but, regardless, he is a sorcerer and will be subjected to the law, regardless of the fact that he was born in Cenred's kingdom. The moment he entered Camelot he came under the penalty of Camelot's laws. Take them away. "

Hunith cried out in despair. With a final surge of adrenaline Hunith wriggled her way free from Dustin's grip and rushed to the king, collapsing to her knees at his feet and clutching at his pants with her bound hands. Uther shrank back from the young girl's last actions to plea for her son's life but found he couldn't take his eyes from her tear stained face.

" Please! " she cried, her fists turned white as they held the cloth beneath them in a death grip, " Please, my lord, he is only a baby, he is no threat to anyone! Show mercy, I beg you! No! " Sirs Dustin and Gorlois had finally caught up to the distraught mother and were attempting to pry her away from their king. " Wait, please! Take me instead, it was me! I did the magic, let Merlin go! PLEASE! "

Hunith gave one last heart wrenching cry that was soon mimicked by her son, who had been hastily placed into the arms of his uncle when Gorlois had needed to restrain Hunith. Gaius, who had been trying to sooth the startled and frightened infant saw when Merlin's eyes flashed gold and his head whipped up to where the king sat, somehow knowing this current flash of magic was aimed at Uther.

Gorlois seemed to sense the danger aimed at Uther and looked up to his left to see a shield remove itself from it's place on the wall and hurtle towards the man on the throne. Instinct took over and Gorlois released his hold on Hunith and instead grabbed Uther and pulled him from his seat just in time as the large chunk of metal slammed into the spot Uther had just occupied. Metal clanged against wood and the fashioned chair shivered under the impact and even tipped back a bit before settling once more on all four feet.

Everyone except Merlin, who was still crying loudly in the now silent hall, stared in shock at the throne and the shield that now rested on it. The speed the shield hadn't been enough that it would have killed Uther had it met it's mark but it certainly would have injured him. Gorlois' soldier mid quickly assessed that, doing it almost automatically as other brain function had temporarily froze in place. Finally he shook out of his dumbfounded state and helped his king to stand.

Uther took in the sight of his throne with the previously dangerous projectile now resting almost innocently in the seat. Slowly he turned a deadly furious gaze to Merlin and said, " Find the executioner and bring him to me at once. Then let the people of Camelot know that the sorcerer Emrys has finally been caught and the last great threat to the citizens of this kingdom will be destroyed before the day is done. "

* * *

As always thanks and virtual cookies to all of you who favorite and followed this story. Makes me think I'm doing something right

**lilo202**: Well he kind of thought that :D

**IndiaMoore**: Thank you and I hope this update is just as good J

**SereneMayhem**: I have taken into consideration that Merlin's character and personality will be a bit different since he is going to have a different life. I just hope he's believable. *crosses fingers and hopes the muses will be kind*

**Magic Cabbage**: The show didn't really focus on Merlin's parents in the show very much, did they? And hopefully I made Uther's reaction believable for you.

**TN Sarah**: That may or may not be happening within the next couple of chapters *wink wink* ;)

_Guest_: Yes I'm being kind of mean to them but it will get better for both of them. It just has to get a tiny bit worse first

**Citrus loving panda**: I'm glad you enjoyed it and thank you for your review J

**Chele the original**: Aww don't be too hard on the knights, they're just ignorant of what magic can truly be because of where they live and who rules them. I believe the true enemies in Merlin were ignorance and hatred, because they corrupted people a lot faster than magic ever could.


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